EFSA working group updates in May, June, and July 2020

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Panel on food Contact materials, Enzymes and Processing aids (CEP Panel) published the minutes of the 31^st through 34^th meetings of its Working Group on bisphenol A re-evaluation (WG-BPA) held in May and June, 2020. During the meetings, the experts discussed the approach and Excel file used for weighting the evidence as well as the likelihood of effects from the animal and human studies. The group further discussed the weight of evidence on specific health outcome categories as well as an opinion template for reporting the rationale used for grouping relevant endpoints into clusters.

The EFSA CEP Panel also published the minutes of the 15^th through 18^th meetings of its Working Group on Food Contact Materials (WG-FCM), which were held in May, June, and July, 2020. During the meetings, the group discussed the establishment of a data collection system for Member States and other data providers to submit FCM-related data to EFSA in a harmonized format. It also discussed various ongoing safety assessments of FCM substances including:

• styrene (CAS 100-42-5; EFSA-Q-2019-00686): The group considered additional information that EFSA requested from industry as well as advice from the cross-cutting WG on Genotoxicity concerning the genotoxicity evaluation of styrene by the oral route. A revised draft opinion by the WG has been scheduled for discussion and possible adoption by the CEP Panel.
• nonamethylenediamine (NMDA; CAS 646-24-2; EFSA-Q-2019-00533); 2-Methyl-1,8-octadiamine (MODA; CAS 148528-05-6; EFSA-Q-2019-00534); phosphorous acid, triphenyl ester, polymer with alpha-hydro-omega-hydroxypoly[oxy(methyl-1,2-ethanediyl)], C10-16 alkyl esters (EFSA-Q-2020-00014); and 1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid, 1,4-dibutyl ester (CAS 1962-75-0; EFSA-Q-2019-00586): The group discussed the dossiers received from the applicants, and it was determined that the WG requires additional information to complete the risk assessments. The evaluations are suspended pending receipt of this information.
• waxes, paraffinic, refined, derived from petroleum based or synthetic hydrocarbon feedstocks (FCM 93) (EFSA-Q-2018-00558): The group discussed the additional information previously requested, however additional information is still needed to complete the risk assessment. The evaluation is suspended pending receipt of this information.
• benzophenone‐3,3′,4,4′‐tetracarboxylic dianhydride (BDTA; CAS 2421-28-5): The CEP Panel published its scientific opinion on the safety assessment of the substance for use in FCMs. It concluded that the use of BDTA is “not a safety concern for the consumer if it is applied at up to 43% as a co-monomer in the production of polyimides for repeated use contact with acidic or fatty foods at temperatures up to 250°C.”

The EFSA CEP Panel has also published the minutes of the 14^th through 16^th meetings of its Working Group on Recycling Plastics (WG-RP), which were held in May and July, 2020. During the meetings, the group discussed the draft opinions for the following recycling processes and scheduled them for possible adoption by the CEP Panel:

• Technoplastika Prima Perdana (Starlinger deCON) (EFSA-Q-2019-00737); scientific opinion published
• WIP (Starlinger deCON) (EFSA-Q-2019-00758); scientific opinion published
• Carton Pack (Starlinger deCON) (EFSA-Q-2019-00787); scientific opinion published
• Somoplast (Starlinger deCON) (EFSA-Q-2020-00048)
• Flight Plastics (UK) Ltd (Starlinger deCON) (EFSA-Q-2020-00110)
• PT Asiaplast (Starlinger deCON) (EFSA-Q-2020-00171)
• Erreplast (Starlinger deCON) (EFSA-Q-2020-00152)
• sicht-pack Hagner (Starlinger deCON) (EFSA-Q-2020-00247)
• Ondupet (EREMA Basic) (EFSA-Q-2019-00379)

For the following recycling processes, the group discussed draft opinions and determined that additional information is needed before the evaluation can continue:

• Severn Valley Polymers (Starlinger deCON), EFSA-Q-2019-00698
• Nosoplas (Starlinger iV+), EFSA-Q-2020-00106

Read more

EFSA CEP Panel (July 2, 2020). “Minutes of the 31^st – 34^th meetings of the working group on BPA re-evaluation.” (pdf)

EFSA CEP Panel (July 27, 2020). “Minutes of the 15^th – 18^th meetings of the working group on food contact materials 2018-2021.” (pdf)

EFSA CEP Panel (July 23, 2020). “Minutes of the 14^th – 16^th meeting of the working group on recycling plastics 2018-2021.” (pdf)

EFSA CEP Panel (July 17, 2020). “Safety assessment of the substance benzophenone‐3,3′,4,4′‐tetracarboxylic dianhydride, for use in food contact materials.” (pdf)